Kistvault runs no server of its own — no custom sync backend, no billing service — and iCloud isn't used for storage. The vault lives entirely on your device. There is simply no endpoint your content is uploaded to.
The threat it solves
Server breaches and compelled access. Data parked on a provider's cloud — even encrypted — is a standing target and a single point someone can be ordered to hand over. The safest server is the one that doesn't exist. Kistvault removes it from the picture entirely.
How it works
- Encrypt first. Files are encrypted on-device before they ever reach storage.
- Nothing leaves. There's no upload step, because there's no backend to upload to.
- You decide on backups. Want an off-device copy? You export the container and choose where it lives.
The key difference
Not even encrypted cloud. Many "private" vaults quietly default to encrypted cloud backup, which still puts your ciphertext on someone else's machine. Kistvault has no cloud at all — the honest trade is that your backups are your responsibility.
Questions
iCloud or Google Drive?
Neither for storage. The vault is local; backups are yours to place.
How do I avoid losing data with no cloud?
Export the encrypted container and keep your own copy — external drive, your own cloud, your call.
Encrypted before storage?
Yes — AES-256-GCM on-device, before anything is written.